Apparatus for controlling the combustion of fuel



June 2, 1925.

W L. CURRY APPARATUS FOR CONTRO LLINQ THE COMBUSTION OF FUEL Filed Aug. 50, 1920 2 Sheets-Sheet l /VE/VTOR Lv/r/vEs'sEs W. L. CURRY- APPARATUS FOR CUNTRQLBTNG THE COMBUSTION OF FUEL June 2, 1925.

' 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed A112. 30, v 1920 WITNESSES Patented June 2, 1925.

* 1,540,607 PATENT OFFICE";-

WILLIAM L. CURRY, or rrrrsnunori, PENNSYLVANIA; ALBERT CURRY AND COLONIAL TRUST COMPANY, or

:ononasnn.

PITTSBURGH, ADMINISTR-ATO RS OF SAID WILLIAM L. CUR-RY,

APPARATUS FOR CONTROLLING THE COMBUSTION OF Application filed August 30, 1920. Serial No. 407,015.

To all whom it may concern: 7

Be it known that I, WILLIAM L. CURRY, a citizen of the United States, residing at Pittsburgh, in the county of Allegheny and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in. Ap-

paratus for Controlling the Combustion of waste gases by and in accordance with the flow and pressure variation in the steam outlet of a boiler. I am aware that it has been proposed to regulate the combustion in furnaces by and in accordance with themethod above mentioned, but so far as I am aware, priorrto my invention, no apparatus capable of carrying out said method has been devised. V This invention should be distinguished from that class of inventions in which it has been the practice to regulate combustion by and in accordance. with the pressure of the steam in the boilers-or gases in the combustion chamber, or both, r p

The prime objectof the present invention is to provide new and improved directand positively operating apparatus of simple and eflicient construction designed to be utilized in connection with regulating mechanism, means controlling the admission of air to a furnace and the escape of waste gases therefrom, and a fuel feeding device. In the accompanying drawings, which illustrate an application of my invention, a

Fig. 1 is a diagrammatic elevational view showing a furnace, boiler, etc., regulating apparatus, and operative connections v,embodying my invention; and

Fig. 2, a detail perspective view particu larly showing a portion of the rigid connecting means employed.

Referring to the drawings, 2 designatesa furnace construction of any desired type 3, the combustion chamber; 4, a suitable fuel feed device; 5, the boiler; and 6, a steam or.

other vapor outlet pipe through which the vapor passes from the boiler to an engine.

Air under pressure is introduced under the furnace grate through an air conduit7, and the exhaust gases pass from the furnace to a stack flue 8; and for the purpose of controlling the admission of air to the furnace and the passage of products of combustion and waste gases from the furnace, dampers .9 and 10 are provided. As illustrated, suitable means are employed for regulating the dampers or valves 9' and 10- and the fuel feed device 4, said means, as hereinafter described, being operated by and in accordance with the varia tions in the rate of flow of vapor through the outlet, and by and in accordance with the vapor pressure therein.

Various forms of regulating apparatus capable of use for carrying out the method of controlling combustion, as described herein, may be employed, and such apparatus: 1 per se is not my invention. The regulator mechanism shown includes a; cylinder 12 having piston 13 therein and its piston stem or rod 13 projecting above and below the i cylinder and connected with a frame includmg top and bottom CI'OSShfiZidS'lw This frame is adapted to move with the piston and its stem 13, and the flow of fluid to the respective ends of this cylinder is controlled by a valve, not shown.

The regulator mechanism, in addition to the parts mentioned, includes an apparatus or" part 15 of any known or preferred con struction which is subjected to variations in flowand pressure, said part 15 being in communication with the vapor outlet 6 by means of pipe 16, the device shown being one of a well known type now in commercial use, the drawing representing a regulating mecha nism of the type manufactured and installedby theHagan Corporation, combustion engineers of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Part 15 includes diaphragm mechanism, not shown, a weighted arm 17 movableby the diaphragm, an elongated fluid chamber 18 in whichair or other compressible fluid at a predetermined pressure is confined, and op- 1 erative mechanism between arm 17 and the diaphragm or diaphragms. The weights on arm 17 areadjusted to the normal requirementsof thesteam generator and to the pressure oftheconfined fluid in chamber 18. Means, not shown, are provided between the arm 17 and the valve controlling the flow of fluid to the respective sides of pipe 16.

the piston of cylinder 12. As the device 15 is designedto be" operated by variations in the rate of flow'ofthe fluid through pipe 6 and responsive to variations in pressure,

the effect of lowering the static pressure,

communicated to the device 15 through On the other hand, a decrease in the rate of flow of fluid through pipe 6 will have the same effect asan increase in the static pressure in the boiler. Consequently, the de vice 15 is responsive to variations in the rate of flow and in the pressure obtaining within the boiler; This is a condition to be-desired because an increase in the rate of flow.

demands an increasein the heat applied to the boilenwhile aklecrease in the rate 9f flow, corresponding 'to an increase -in the static pressure, demandsthat less heat be appliedto the boiler.

- A variation in the rate of flow ofsteam or other vapor in the outlet pipe 6 willcause the weighted arm 17 to be moved up or down thereby, through the means stated, admitting fluid to. the upper or lowerend of the piston s'tem 13 up or down.

g 19 designates aregulating valve device in communication with the outlet pipe 6 through pipe 20, and with the engine of the cylinder: 12 for the purpose of 'moving the fuel feeding apparatus 4 by means of pipe" 21. The function of the regulatingvalve 19 is to controlthe steam passed to the stoker engine of the feed device 4:, and the said regulating means in turn is controlled by the regulating mechanism above described.

The meansconnectingthe regulator mechanism with the air controlling damper 9, the damper 10 controlling the escape of products of combustion, etc. from the fur-- nace, and the valve device 19, constitute a characteristic and important feature of my invention. These means, as illustrated and as preferred, comprise a suspended frame formed of rigid members including an upper cross-head member 22 pivotally mounted on an end of a rotatable shaft 23", a lower cross-member 24 pivotally mounted. on, a similar shaft 25, and rigid vertically extending members 26.- and 27, 'pivotally connecting the said cross-heads or members 22 and: 24.

Rotatable shafts 23 and 25 project from a suitable support, not shown, and'in addition to respectively carrying thesaid cross-membars 22 and 24;, carry depending members 28 and the latter'bein g fi edly secured by a collar 30 to the respective shafts. Members 26 are connected with the lower and upper ends of the piston rod 13 ofthe regulator mechanism. it will be understood that a movement of the piston rod 13 will shift or rock the frame and that the movement of said frame will, through the means connecting the frame and the respective dampers and the regulatingvalve, move the said dampers and valve. As shown, damper 10 is provided with an arm 1.0, the, latterbeing designed to be connected with the link or, member 28 by means of a rod 31. Damper 9 isprovided with an arm 9 and saidarm is connected with member 29 by a rod 32, bell crank lever 33, and rod 34:.

Regulating valve device 19 includes, an

angle arm 35 and this arm is connected with the vertically extending rod 27 of the rock frame by pivotally connected rodsor memhere 36 and 37.

What I claim is: I I

l. The combination withsa steam gener-v ator andla furnace, of a steam outlet passage for th'egencrator, a fluid pressure regulator.

communicating with said passage and responsive to pressure conditions therein, a suspended rocking frame comprising pivoted levers having corresponding ends connected with a movable part of the regulator through vertical rigid links and having their opposite ends connectedb-y a link pan allel with the vertical links, a damper, and

means including cranks and links connected with said rocking. frame for. moving the damper.

2. The combination with a steam gener ator and a 'fnrnace, of a steam outlet passage'for the generator, a fluid pressure regulator communicating with said passage and responsive to'pressure conditions therein, a

suspended rocking frame comprising pivoted levers having corresponding ends connected with a mo-vablepart of the regulator through vertical rigid links and having their opposite ends connected by a link parallel with the vertical links, afine damper for the furnace, an air. supply damper for the furnace, and rigid operating connections between the dampers and suspended rocking frame for moving the dampers according to the movement of the regulator.

3. The combination with a steam generator and a furnace, of'a steam outlet passage for the generator, a fluid pressure regu lator communicating with said passage and responsive to pressure conditions therein, a suspended rocking frame comprising pivoted levers having corresponding ends connected with a movable part of the regulator through vertical rigid links and having their oppositeendsconnected by a link par al'lel with the vertical links, a fluedamper iii ill

for the furnace, an air supply damper for the furnace, a fuel feed control member for the furnace, and rigid operating connections between the rocking frame and said dampers, and fuel feed control mechanism for controlling combustion in the furnace according to pressure conditions in said steam outlet passage.

4L. Th combination with a steam generator and furnace for heating same having air supply means and a means for leading away waste gases, with a damper for controlling the air supply and a damper for controlling the waste gas escape, of an outlet for said steam generator, a pressure responsive device connected with said outlet and actuated in accordance with the rate of flow of steam from the generator, an operating device controlled by said pressure responsive means including a reciprocable element, a lower shaft connected with said reciprocable element and arranged to be rocked thereby, an upper shaft connected with said reciprocable element and rocked by the movement thereof, a rigid connection between said lower shaft and said air supply damper to effect the operation of said damper when said lower shaft is rocked, and rigid connection between th upper shaft andsaid waste gas controlling damper to effect operation thereof when the upper shaft is rocked, said upper and lower shafts being operated in unison by said reciprocable element.

5. The combination with a steam generator and furnace for heating same having air supply means and. a means for leading away waste gases, with a damper for controlling the air supply and a damper for controlling the waste gas escape, of an outlet for said steam generator, a pressure responsive device connected with said outlet and actuated in accordance with the rate of flow of steam from the generator, an operating device controlled by said pressure responsive means including a reciprocable element, a lower shaft connected with said reciprooable element and arranged to be rocked thereby, an upper shaft connected with said reoiprocable element and rocked by the movement thereof, a rigid connection between said lower shaft and said air supply damper to effect the operation of said damper when said lower shaft is rocked, rigid connection between the upper shaft and said waste gas controlling damper to effect operation thereof when the upper shaft is rocked, said upper and lower shafts being operated in unison by said reciprocable element, an automatic fuel feeding means, a controlling device therefor, and a rigid link connection between said device and said upper and lower shafts for operating said control means in accordance with the movement of, said reciprocable element.

In testimony whereof Iafiix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

WILLIAM L. CURRY. 

